Tooth Fairy Pillow

We’ve entered into a new, exciting stage for my daughter. We’ve been anticipating it for a while and after some long-awaited anticipation, she recently lost her first tooth!

Of course, with that came her first Tooth Fairy visit with her tooth under her pillow in a not-so-glamorous zipper lock bag (hey, it did the trick and apparently the tooth fairy didn’t mind, lol!). Growing up, I remember I had a special little stuffed tooth pillow to put in my precious little gift for the tooth fairy, so I decided to make one for my daughter.

These little projects are the perfect size for an in-the-hoop (ITH) embroidery project! I found this tooth fairy pillow ITH embroidery file here. It’s absolutely adorable and perfect for visits from the tooth fairy which I think will be happening with increasing frequency here over the next little while.

To start, I made a little strap with can be used to hang the pillow on a door knob or hook.

What I love about my Janome Skyline S9 is that it’s so easy to do both sewing and machine embroidery. With a quick little foot change, we go from sewing to our ITH embroidery project.

Switching over to embroidery is so easy. I changed over the foot and with a few quick taps on the large LCD screen, I’m ready to embroider.

To set up my embroidery file, I use the Janome AcuEdit app, a free app which works with the Janome Skyline S9 and Janome MC15000. Once my file is downloaded on my iPad, I can edit size, colour and other features.

Transferring my final file over to my Janome Skyline S9 is easy using the WIFI feature of the machine.

This tooth fairy pillow came together rather quickly. All the information pertaining to the embroidery design; the presser foot to use on the machine, the time it’ll take for the design to stitch out, the thread colour sequence, which hoop to use (which you can also change if you’d like to use a larger hoop) is all on the LCD screen. There’s no guesswork. It’s all there for you!

I love how ITH embroidery projects are built out layer by layer. It’s fun to see them come together!

I picked some fun fabrics that I knew my daughter would love.

This project even included a little background quilting before embroidering the text.

I mean, how could the tooth fair not stop with such a beautiful little sign?!

The large tooth on the pillow was outlined first and the darker fabric was cut out so that it didn’t show through to the lighter fabric that was sewn over top.

This would be the perfect time to use the Janome 4″ Mini Duckling Applique scissors! The flanged “duckbill” of the lower blade of the scissors protects the lower layer of fabric from accidentally being trimmed away while you cut around the applique. The handles are offset so the won’t hit the side of the embroidery hoop. The I need a pair, hint, hint!

This ITH embroidery design includes a little applique tooth design.

After trimming away the fabric of the applique close to the line of stitching, a satin stitch finishes the raw edge of the appliqué, so everything is secure and finished beautifully.

The last step of this project is to enclose everything together.

Once the top and bottom are stitched right sides together, the entire project can be turned right-side out.

A little hand stitching at the opening completes the tooth fairy pillow, or you could stitch this opening by machine very close to the edge of the fabric.

My daughter was really excited to receive her Tooth Fairy pillow. Now to wait for the next tooth to fall out!

Have you made any ITH embroidery projects? Anyone want to offer a little help on what the tooth fairy’s going rate is these days – in Canadian dollars? lol!

How Do I Update My Machine?

Many of our Janome sewing machines feature a USB port in the side of the machine. Some, like all versions of the fabulous Janome MC15000 and the Janome Continental M17 have two! The USB port allows you to import stitch or embroidery designs using a USB Flash Drive. It also allows you to update the machine whenever an update may be available.

An update for the Janome CM17 was recently released on the Janome Global Site, as well as our Janome Canada website. Full instructions are provided in the above links, but some people still struggle with getting the machine to update on the first go, so, if that’s you, you’re in luck!

Janome Continental M17

In today’s Janome Canada Instagram LIVE, I’ll be showing you step-by-step how to update your Janome Continental M17.

Join us LIVE at 1pm EST @janomecanada Instagram page every Wednesday afternoon to learn about all things Janome! However, don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE presentations as they’ll be stored in the feed on the Janome Canada Instagram page and later posted as videos on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.

More information about the Janome CM17 update can also be found in this previous Janome Life blog and on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.

Check out our handy Janome Accessories Catalogue on our Janome Canada website to see more presser feet and attachments available for your machine.

Follow us on the Janome HQ Facebook page and the Janome HQ Instagram page to see what’s new at Janome Canada and information about upcoming in-person classes and presentations at our Janome Canada Headquarters, our Janome HQ,!

Happy Sewing and #sharethejanomelove!

Embroider a Garden Kneeling Pad!

Our Janome embroidery machines are capable of doing sew much, and, when added with the amazingly versatile Artistic Digitizer software, you have unlimited fun and creativity at your fingertips!

In today’s Janome Sewing Machines Facebook LIVE, Janome Canada Educator extraordinaire, Celine Ross, shows you how to create and embroider a very handy kneeling pad to use in the garden this spring using the Artistic Digitizer software, which is available as a FREE TRIAL for the month April, AND May! Yes! Due to overwhelming demand, that free trial has been extended until the end of May, 2024.

Don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE as all of the presentations will be saved under the Videos tab of the Janome Sewing Machines Facebook page. Use the Search Box to find all the videos with Celine Ross. As well, Celine’s presentations will stream LIVE to the Janome HQ You Tube channel so you may watch whenever you wish!

Though Celine often demos on the fabulous Janome Continental M17, there are many Janome embroidery machine options including the Janome MC550E LE, Janome Skyline S9 and Janome MC9850SE. Contact your local Janome Canada dealer to arrange a test drive to find the machine which is right for you!

Janome Continental M17.

Janome MC550E Limited Edition

For more about the Artistic Digitizer software, check out previous Janome Life blogs and videos on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.

Janome Skyline S9

Janome MC9850SE

Check out our handy Janome Accessories Catalogue or click on the Accessories Tab on Janome.CA. to find the presser feet and accessories compatible with your machine. Click the Products tab, then scroll down to find “View all Accessories“. Click there to access the Search Box or to scroll through the pages to find the accessories you’d like. Click on the picture/description to find the Part Number and machine compatibility. And, as always, check with your fabulous Janome Canada Dealer!

Happy Sewing!

Artistic Digitizer FREE Trial EXTENDED till May 31st!

It’s NO joke! Back by popular demand, Janome Canada has been offering a FREE TRIAL of the amazingly versatile Artistic Digitizer software for the entire month of April, 2024. BUT, due to overwhelming demand, Janome is extending the free trial of Artistic Digitizer software until the end of May, 2024 so you have more time having fun learning the software.

As announced the first of this month, Registration Codes were available until April 24th, but that’s now been extended until May 24, 2024 as well! Sign up for the free trial on Janome.CA!

For those who received your activation codes just before the former deadline, you now have more time to enjoy learning the software. If you’ve been wanting to take your embroidery to the next level, get more from your fabulous Janome embroidery machine, and just want to have some high tech fun, now is the time to make the most of your free trial.

You’ll find a ton of support, and a ton of fun over on the Janome Artistic Digitizer Facebook Group.

Anne Hein, Janome America’s Software Specialist, hosts a weekly Artistic Digitizer Facebook LIVE every Thursday at 3pm Eastern. Don’t worry if you can’t join LIVE, as all presentations will stored under the MEDIA tab to watch whenever you wish. Play and Pause the presentation as many times as you need as you navigate and learn the software.

You’ll also find many helpful Artistic Digitizer resources right here on Janome Life! Use the SEARCH BOX to find all related posts. As well, be sure to check out the Janome HQ You Tube channel and Janome America’s You Tube channel for videos to help you get the most from the software no matter what your experience level.

Look forward to more Artistic Digitizer blogs coming up right here on Janome Life.

Happy Sewing!

Add a Touch of Spring to your Embroidery Designs!

The Spring Equinox, 2024 meant the end of the warmest winter ever recorded in Canada, and one of the worst seasons for winter sports. Spring is also the time to start planting new seeds in the garden, pack away some winter clothes, and to embroider designs with spring motifs to bright up our projects.

Immediately, we think of flowers. There are several flower designs integrated into Janome embroidery machines, but we always want more! I propose this little exercise that is easy to practice with your Artistic Digitizer software, which was offered FREE for the month of April and, due to incredible demand, has been extended throughout the month of May, 2024, as well!

Click on the link HERE to sign up for your FREE registration codes!

We can activate the “Text Tool” to add or modify existing text. In both cases, when the “Text Tool” is active, you can see in the “Tool Options” panel different text options. Supported font types include True Type (TT), Open Type (OT), and Symbol (S). Additionally, there are many pre-digitized fonts available that have been created by professional digitizers and embroiderers for high-quality lettering. The name of each pre-digitized font looks like “xpg220”. These fonts are perfect for creating texts with lowercase letters.

• Choose the symbol S, there are 47 ‘symbol’ fonts
• In the ‘text’ bar type Aa, as some of these fonts offer a different pattern for uppercase and lowercase
• Scroll through the fonts to compare writings
• Insert different flowers as in the following photo

• Deselect the flowers < change the sizes < arrange them in the hoop
• Change the colors of each of the flowers
• If desired, add an outline by clicking on one of the following icons: bucket < fill / pencil < outline

There is sew much creativity available to your fingertips using the Artistic Digitizer software and your Janome embroidery machine! All that’s left is to embroider your exercise to visualize the result.

Happy practicing !!!

Janome’s Free AcuSketch App!

While many free Janome Apps are designed to work exclusively with embroidery machines with WIFI capabilities, the Janome AcuSketch app is compatible with all current model Janome embroidery machines.

AcuSketch is a free and fun app which allows you to create your own original embroidery and quilting designs on your iPad or Android Tablet. If you have a Janome Continental M17, the Janome MC15000, or the Janome Skyline S9, you can easily send your designs wirelessly to the machine. OR, for all other Janome embroidery machines, like the Janome MC9850 SE, and Janome MC550E LE, you can save your design to a USB stick and manually upload it to the machine. Everyone can share in the fun!

Details about the AcuSketch app, including the current version to download can be found in a six page Janome Bulletin on the Janome Global Site.

You’ll also find extra resources for learning all about the AcuSketch app through many videos on the Janome America You Tube channel.

There’s even a quick, easy project you can stitch with your fabulous Janome embroidery machine, like the Janome MC550E LE.

Janome MC550E Limited Edition

These adorable little felt baskets were created using the free Janome AcuSketch app. Full project instructions as well as the Janome Embroidery File (JEF) to stitch the baskets can be found in the INSPIRE tab on Janome.CA.

For even more project ideas and helpful hints about the Janome AcuSketch app, check out these previous blogs right here on Janome Life!

Happy Sewing!

NEW UPDATE for the Janome Continental M17!

Yes! Janome just released a new, free update to the fabulous Janome Continental M17!

Details can be found on the Janome Global Site as well as on the CM17 Product Page on Janome.CA. For those with MACs, you may download instructions below.

continental-m17-v1.10-update-mac-link-1Download

As a CM17 owner, or perhaps soon-to-be-owner, you may be asking yourself:

• Do I have to do the update?
• Do I have to update my machine to the earlier update, Version 1.01 before I update to Version 1.10?
• Can I do the update myself or do I have to take my machine to my dealer’s store?
• So, what exactly does this update do?

Well, you’re in luck, I have some answers for you!

• No, you don’t have to do the update. Though it’s always recommended to keep your machine up to date, this isn’t a critical update, so you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.
• No, you don’t have to update your machine to V1.01 in order to update to V1.10. As a recap, Version 1.01 was the first update the CM17 received, mainly to bring the embroidery carriage hoop coupling to the centre of the carriage in order to pack it back into the original box, or to pack in the CM17 luggage set when transporting your machine. This was an optional update, as well.
• Yes, you can do the update yourself at home. Click on the link HERE for full instructions.
• The two main features of the update include:

Janome Continental M17

1. Reduction in the processing time between functions in Normal Sewing mode when Resume mode is active. Yes! Janome listened to the feedback and the update reduces the lag time between button pushes while sewing with the Resume mode selected in the Settings menu.
2. More embroidery files and folders displayed on the large LCD screen making it easier to find designs when a USB flash drive is inserted into the machine. Again, Janome listened to the feedback so we can spend less time searching for a design and more time embroidering!

Some Update troubleshooting tips:

• Read all instructions once, or even twice before attempting the update so you have a clear understanding of the steps. In the excitement to do the update, it’s easy to skip a step when reading for the first time, so review a few times first.
• Unzip the update file before copying the files onto a USB Flash Drive.
• Formatting the USB Flash Drive before attempting the update is recommended. Full instructions are included on the Janome Global Site, which you may also print if you wish.
• If you run into trouble and the update doesn’t download properly in the machine, review the steps as detailed on the Janome Global Site and try again. You’ll get it!

Happy Sewing!

I Love First Peoples Donation Drive 2024!

For the third year, Janome Canada is proud to once again host a fabric and sewing supply donation drive for the I Love First Peoples, Soaring Circle organization. From April 8-26th we’ll be collecting, sorting and shipping sewing supplies to various remote Indigenous schools across Canada.

Yes, it’s a very quick turn around time, so if you’d like to donate some new or gently used sewing-related items, please don’t delay!

Though we so appreciate receiving generous donations of all varieties, this year we have a special list of requested items, and a list of items we can not accept.

Donations may be mailed in, or dropped off in person Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm at our Janome Canada headquarters at 1155 North Service Road West, Unit# 4, Oakville, ON, L6M3E3 until Friday, April 26th.

Please note, because of the tight deadline this year, donations will NOT be accepted after April 26, 2024.

For those not in the Oakville area, we’re thrilled to announce that donations may be dropped off to the following Janome Canada dealers locations. Please contact the store before dropping off your donations.

Please note, there are no active links in the above screen capture. Direct links can be found on Janome.CA

For those who do not live near a participating Janome Canada dealer, or our Oakville Janome Sewing and Learning Centre, perhaps consider making a financial contribution directly to I Love First Peoples on their website. We sew appreciate your support!

Look forward to updates of the collection and sorting process on upcoming Janome Life blogs. For a review of previous I Love First Peoples Donation Drives, as well as some of the projects the students have made with the donated materials, check out the many previous Janome Life blogs.

Thank you all for your support! Happy Sewing!

Serger Accessories

Though our Janome machines come with a good variety of presser feet and accessories, anyone familiar with the brand knows that there’s always more! No matter which Janome serger you have, or are thinking of purchasing, there’s lots of extra specialty presser feet and accessories available from your Janome Canada dealer to help you get the most from your machine.

Whether it’s the Top-of-the-Line Janome AT2000D Air Thread serger, with the incredibly convenient built in needle threaders and air threading engineering to thread the upper and lower looper faster and easier than ever, …….

Janome AT2000D Air Thread Serger

or, a mid-level model like the Janome FA4 serger, which is the only serger in the Janome line to feature a free-arm, ……….

Janome FA4 Free Arm Serger

or, an entry-level model like the Janome Magnolia 7034D, the optional specialty presser feet and accessories are compatible with them all!

Janome 7034D Serger

Join me, National Education Manager, Michael Smith, LIVE at 1pm Eastern on the Janome Canada Instagram page as I share some of the fabulously fun optional presser feet and accessories available for your serger, regardless which model it is.

Join us LIVE at 1pm EST @janomecanada Instagram page every Wednesday afternoon to learn about all things Janome! However, don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE presentations as they’ll be stored in the feed on the Janome Canada Instagram page and later posted as videos on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.

For more helpful serger tips and tricks, be sure to subscribe to the Janome HQ You Tube channel and check out the Janome Serger School playlist.

Check out our handy Janome Accessories Catalogue on our Janome Canada website to see more presser feet and attachments available for your machine.

Follow us on the Janome HQ Facebook page and the Janome HQ Instagram page to see what’s new at Janome Canada and information about upcoming in-person classes and presentations at our Janome Canada Headquarters, our Janome HQ,!

Happy Sewing and #sharethejanomelove!

Portable Quilted Roll Up Project Mat

Spring is the ideal time to attend a sewing or quilting retreat, or to open up the cottage or trailer for the season. Conveniently take your projects along by creating a portable quilted project mat which rolls up for easy transport. Our Janome embroidery machines are capable of doing sew much, and, when added with the amazingly versatile Artistic Digitizer software, you have unlimited fun and creativity at your fingertips!

In today’s Janome Sewing Machines Facebook LIVE, Janome Canada Educator extraordinaire, Celine Ross, shows you how to create and embroider a rollup quilted project mat using the Artistic Digitizer software, which is available as a FREE TRIAL for the month of April!

Don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE as all of the presentations will be saved under the Videos tab of the Janome Sewing Machines Facebook page. Use the Search Box to find all the videos with Celine Ross. As well, Celine’s presentations will stream LIVE to the Janome HQ You Tube channel so you may watch whenever you wish!

Though Celine often demos on the fabulous Janome Continental M17, there are many Janome embroidery machine options including the Janome MC550E LE, Janome Skyline S9 and Janome MC9850SE. Contact your local Janome Canada dealer to arrange a test drive to find the machine which is right for you!

Janome Continental M17.

Janome MC550E Limited Edition

For more about the Artistic Digitizer software, check out previous Janome Life blogs and videos on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.

Janome Skyline S9

Janome MC9850SE

Check out our handy Janome Accessories Catalogue or click on the Accessories Tab on Janome.CA. to find the presser feet and accessories compatible with your machine. Click the Products tab, then scroll down to find “View all Accessories“. Click there to access the Search Box or to scroll through the pages to find the accessories you’d like. Click on the picture/description to find the Part Number and machine compatibility. And, as always, check with your fabulous Janome Canada Dealer!

Be sure to sign up for your FREE Artistic Digitizer access code right away as codes will only be e-mailed until April 24, 2024. The Free Trial ends at the end of April, so don’t delay!

Happy Sewing!